Towns across New Jersey that are facing additional costs after superstorm Sandy will get no additional aid to help hold down property taxes under Governor Christie’s proposed budget, the state announced yesterday.

Although the budget would increase spending by more than $1 billion, total state aid for municipalities again remained flat in the $32.9 billion budget, The Record’s John Reitmeyer reports.

At a town hall-style talk in Montville yesterday, Christie spoke briefly about his budget but mostly chastised Democrats for failing not doing enough to cut taxes. He said they should pass bills to end payouts to employees for unused sick time; prevent towns from using user-fee hikes as a way to circumvent the 2 percent cap on property tax increases; and require municipalities to share services or risk losing state aid equal to the amount of money it would save them.

In his monthly “Ask the Governor” appearance on 101.5 FM last night, Christie further worked to repair his conservative credentials, which some national Republican leaders have questioned. He told listeners that the federal Medicaid expansion — which he signed onto Tuesday — would not exist if he “were in charge” and comparing Democrats’ process for advancing gun control legislation to a “kangaroo court.”

In other news, nearly 100,000 people have signed an online petition written by a Parsippany teenager urging Christie to back a bill outlawing “conversion therapy” for minors, a treatment that attempts to turn gay people straight. The legislation was supposed to come up in a Senate committee in December but was held by its sponsor.

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The Bloggers

Melissa Hayes, who has worked at The Record since 2010, covers Gov. Chris Christie and politics for the State House Bureau. Follow her on Twitter at @Record_Melissa. View all of her posts

Herb Jackson is the Washington correspondent for The Record, covering North Jersey issues on the Potomac, including the activities of the congressional delegation and federal policies that affect the region. Follow him on Twitter @Record_DC.View all of his posts.

Salvador Rizzo covers politics for The Record’s State House bureau, with a focus on financial issues and the state budget, and legal issues in the New Jersey courts. Follow him on Twitter @rizzoTK.View all of his posts.

Charles Stile is the political columnist for The Record. He is a former State House Bureau chief at The Record and has covered politics and government in New Jersey for more than two decades. Follow him on Twitter @PoliticalStile. View all of his posts